{"id":1130,"date":"2026-09-12T05:36:18","date_gmt":"2026-09-12T05:36:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tadapack.com\/news\/kraft-paper-weight-chart\/"},"modified":"2026-09-12T05:36:18","modified_gmt":"2026-09-12T05:36:18","slug":"kraft-paper-weight-chart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tadapack.com\/news\/kraft-paper-weight-chart\/","title":{"rendered":"Kraft Paper Weight Chart: GSM to LB Basis Weight Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"geo-direct-answer-box\" style=\"background:#f0f9ff; border:1px solid #bae6fd; border-left:5px solid #0284c7; border-radius:8px; padding:20px 24px; margin:24px 0 32px 0;\">\n<h4 style=\"margin:0 0 12px 0; color:#0369a1; font-size:1.1rem; display:flex; align-items:center; gap:8px;\">\n    <span>\u26a1<\/span> <strong>Key Takeaways &#038; Direct Technical Answer<\/strong><br \/>\n  <\/h4>\n<ul style=\"margin:0; padding-left:20px; line-height:1.7; color:#0c4a6e; font-size:0.95rem;\">\n<li style=\"margin-bottom:6px;\"><strong>Kraft paper weight is specified in GSM (metric) or lb basis weight (US); 1 lb (17&#215;22-500) equals roughly 3.76 GSM.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin-bottom:6px;\"><strong>Common B2B grades span 40 GSM tissue to 300 GSM heavy-duty kraft for bags, wrapping, interleaving, and void fill.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin-bottom:6px;\"><strong>Matching weight to application prevents failure: tear strength, burst (Mullen), and stiffness all scale with basis weight.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li style=\"margin-bottom:6px;\"><strong>Unbleached kraft delivers verified sustainability gains under ISO 14040 lifecycle assessment and supports PPWR\/EPR reporting.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 style='color:#0f172a; margin-top:36px; margin-bottom:16px; font-size:1.5rem;'>Kraft Paper Weight Chart: GSM to LB Basis Weight Guide<\/h2>\n<div class=\"post-featured-image\" style=\"margin:28px 0 32px 0; text-align:center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.unsplash.com\/photo-1607344645866-009c320c5ab8?auto=format&#038;fit=crop&#038;w=1200&#038;q=80\" alt=\"kraft paper weight chart - Recycled Kraft Paper and Sustainable Corrugated Board (TadaPack Engineering Guide)\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:12px; box-shadow:0 6px 20px rgba(0,0,0,0.07); border:1px solid #e2e8f0;\"><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:0.84rem; color:#64748b; margin-top:10px; font-style:italic;\">kraft paper weight chart &#8211; Recycled Kraft Paper and Sustainable Corrugated Board (TadaPack Engineering Guide)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"margin:16px 0; line-height:1.8; color:#334155; font-size:1.02rem;\">Specifying kraft paper by weight is one of the most common failure points in B2B packaging procurement. A buyer requesting &#8220;80 lb kraft&#8221; without clarifying basis size, or &#8220;100 GSM&#8221; without an application context, risks receiving a sheet that tears on the filling line or inflates freight cost per unit. This guide provides the working kraft paper weight chart, the conversion math, and application-matched recommendations used in structural engineering practice. For broader material selection logic, see our pillar hub on <a href=\"https:\/\/tadapack.com\/news\/materials-and-processes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color:#0284c7; text-decoration:underline; font-weight:600;\">Packaging Materials &#038; Processes<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 style='color:#0f172a; margin-top:36px; margin-bottom:16px; font-size:1.5rem; border-bottom:1px solid #e2e8f0; padding-bottom:8px;'>How Kraft Paper Weight Is Measured<\/h2>\n<p style=\"margin:16px 0; line-height:1.8; color:#334155; font-size:1.02rem;\">Two systems dominate global specification:<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:16px 0; line-height:1.8; color:#334155; font-size:1.02rem;\"><strong style='color:#0f172a;'>GSM (grams per square meter).<\/strong> The ISO-metric standard. A 0.001 m\u00b2 sample is weighed; grams multiplied by 100 gives GSM. GSM is independent of sheet size, making it the preferred figure for international procurement and for compliance documentation.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:16px 0; line-height:1.8; color:#334155; font-size:1.02rem;\"><strong style='color:#0f172a;'>US basis weight.<\/strong> Weight in pounds of a ream (500 sheets) cut to a designated basis size. For kraft and other paper grades, the standard basis size is 17 x 22 inches (3.8 ft\u00b2 per sheet, ~1,892 ft\u00b2 per ream). Critical caveat: linerboard and corrugated use a different basis (24 x 36 in, 1,000 ft\u00b2), so a &#8220;26 lb liner&#8221; is not equivalent to a 26 lb kraft sheet.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:16px 0; line-height:1.8; color:#334155; font-size:1.02rem;\"><strong style='color:#0f172a;'>Conversion formula:<\/strong> GSM = basis weight (lb) x 140.5 \/ 1,000, divided by basis area in ft\u00b2 per ream \/ 1,000. For the 17 x 22-500 kraft basis, the practical shortcut is:<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:16px 0; line-height:1.8; color:#334155; font-size:1.02rem;\"><strong style='color:#0f172a;'>1 lb basis weight \u2248 2.708 GSM<\/strong> \u2014 or inversely, GSM \/ 2.708 = lb basis weight. So 100 GSM kraft \u2248 37 lb.<\/p>\n<h2 style='color:#0f172a; margin-top:36px; margin-bottom:16px; font-size:1.5rem; border-bottom:1px solid #e2e8f0; padding-bottom:8px;'>Kraft Paper Weight Chart: Application-Matched Grades<\/h2>\n<div class=\"table-responsive\" style=\"overflow-x:auto; margin: 28px 0; border:1px solid #e2e8f0; border-radius:10px; box-shadow:0 2px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.03);\">\n<table style=\"width:100%; border-collapse:collapse; text-align:left; background:#ffffff;\">\n<thead>\n<tr style=\"background:#f8fafc; border-bottom:2px solid #e2e8f0;\">\n<th style=\"border:1px solid #e2e8f0; padding:12px 16px; background:#f8fafc; color:#0f172a; font-weight:700; font-size:0.92rem;\">GSM<\/th>\n<th style=\"border:1px solid #e2e8f0; padding:12px 16px; background:#f8fafc; color:#0f172a; font-weight:700; font-size:0.92rem;\">US Basis (17&#215;22-500)<\/th>\n<th style=\"border:1px solid #e2e8f0; padding:12px 16px; background:#f8fafc; color:#0f172a; font-weight:700; font-size:0.92rem;\">Typical Application<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #e2e8f0;\">\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #e2e8f0; padding:12px 16px; font-weight:600; color:#0f172a;\">35\u201360 GSM<\/td>\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #e2e8f0; padding:12px 16px; color:#334155; font-size:0.9rem;\">13\u201322 lb<\/td>\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #e2e8f0; padding:12px 16px; color:#334155; font-size:0.9rem;\">Void fill, interleaving, light wrap<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background:#fafafa; border-bottom:1px solid #e2e8f0;\">\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #e2e8f0; padding:12px 16px; font-weight:600; color:#0f172a;\">70\u201390 GSM<\/td>\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #e2e8f0; padding:12px 16px; color:#334155; font-size:0.9rem;\">26\u201333 lb<\/td>\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #e2e8f0; padding:12px 16px; color:#334155; font-size:0.9rem;\">Wrapping, dunnage bags, masking<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #e2e8f0;\">\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #e2e8f0; padding:12px 16px; font-weight:600; color:#0f172a;\">100\u2013140 GSM<\/td>\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #e2e8f0; padding:12px 16px; color:#334155; font-size:0.9rem;\">37\u201352 lb<\/td>\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #e2e8f0; padding:12px 16px; color:#334155; font-size:0.9rem;\">Multiwall bags, heavy-duty wrap<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background:#fafafa; border-bottom:1px solid #e2e8f0;\">\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #e2e8f0; padding:12px 16px; font-weight:600; color:#0f172a;\">150\u2013300 GSM<\/td>\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #e2e8f0; padding:12px 16px; color:#334155; font-size:0.9rem;\">55\u2013110 lb<\/td>\n<td style=\"border:1px solid #e2e8f0; padding:12px 16px; color:#334155; font-size:0.9rem;\">Merchandise bags, covers, sleeves<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"margin:16px 0; line-height:1.8; color:#334155; font-size:1.02rem;\">Below 35 GSM, treated tissue and machine-glazed grades dominate; above 300 GSM, the product transitions to paperboard (kraft board) rather than paper.<\/p>\n<h2 style='color:#0f172a; margin-top:36px; margin-bottom:16px; font-size:1.5rem; border-bottom:1px solid #e2e8f0; padding-bottom:8px;'>Mechanical Properties That Scale With Weight<\/h2>\n<p style=\"margin:16px 0; line-height:1.8; color:#334155; font-size:1.02rem;\">Basis weight is a proxy for performance, but engineers should verify the metrics that actually predict field failure:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"margin:16px 0; padding-left:24px; line-height:1.75; color:#334155;\">\n<li style=\"margin-bottom:8px;\"><strong style='color:#0f172a;'>Tensile and tear strength<\/strong> scale roughly linearly with GSM in the machine direction (MD); cross-direction (CD) tear is typically 15\u201330% lower on machine-made kraft.<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin-bottom:8px;\"><strong style='color:#0f172a;'>Mullen burst<\/strong> on standard unbleached kraft runs roughly 0.4\u20130.55 kPa per GSM; 100 GSM virgin kraft typically bursts at 350\u2013420 kPa.<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin-bottom:8px;\"><strong style='color:#0f172a;'>Stiffness<\/strong> scales with the cube of caliper, so a 120 GSM sheet (\u2248150 \u00b5m) is dramatically stiffer than a 60 GSM sheet (\u224880 \u00b5m) \u2014 decisive for bag formation and dispensing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"margin:16px 0; line-height:1.8; color:#334155; font-size:1.02rem;\">High wet-strength additives (typically 0.5\u20131.0% resin) are specified for dunnage and outdoor exposure without altering GSM.<\/p>\n<h2 style='color:#0f172a; margin-top:36px; margin-bottom:16px; font-size:1.5rem; border-bottom:1px solid #e2e8f0; padding-bottom:8px;'>Printing Considerations by Weight<\/h2>\n<p style=\"margin:16px 0; line-height:1.8; color:#334155; font-size:1.02rem;\">Sheet weight affects ink holdout and rub resistance. Lighter sheets (below 70 GSM) absorb water-borne vehicles faster and can cockle \u2014 a key reason to align substrate with fluid chemistry. Our technical guides on <a href=\"https:\/\/tadapack.com\/news\/water-based-printing-ink-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color:#0284c7; text-decoration:underline; font-weight:600;\">Water Based Printing Ink: B2B Specs, Performance &#038; Compliance<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/tadapack.com\/news\/water-based-inks-for-printing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color:#0284c7; text-decoration:underline; font-weight:600;\">Water Based Inks for Printing: B2B Buyer&#8217;s Technical Guide<\/a> cover viscosity, pH, and drying windows matched to uncoated kraft absorbency. On heavy kraft (150+ GSM), surface sizing also matters for flexo line screens above 100 lpi.<\/p>\n<h2 style='color:#0f172a; margin-top:36px; margin-bottom:16px; font-size:1.5rem; border-bottom:1px solid #e2e8f0; padding-bottom:8px;'>Sustainability and 2026 Compliance Reporting<\/h2>\n<p style=\"margin:16px 0; line-height:1.8; color:#334155; font-size:1.02rem;\">Unbleached kraft remains a compliance-friendly substrate under the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which drives recyclability-by-design and recycled-content reporting through 2030, and under US state EPR schemes in California, Oregon, Colorado, and Maine. Weight matters directly: EPR fee modulation is often calculated per tonne of packaging placed on market, so downgauging from 90 to 70 GSM wrap \u2014 where burst strength allows \u2014 reduces both material cost and eco-modulated fees. Recycled and FSC-certified kraft grades also carry measurably lower cradle-to-gate carbon footprints when evaluated under <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iso.org\/standard\/37456.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color:#0284c7; text-decoration:underline; font-weight:600;\">ISO 14040 Environmental Lifecycle Assessment<\/a> methodology, which buyers increasingly require as third-party documentation.<\/p>\n<h2 style='color:#0f172a; margin-top:36px; margin-bottom:16px; font-size:1.5rem; border-bottom:1px solid #e2e8f0; padding-bottom:8px;'>Procurement Checklist<\/h2>\n<ol style=\"margin:16px 0; padding-left:24px; line-height:1.75; color:#334155;\">\n<li style=\"margin-bottom:8px;\">Always state GSM <strong style='color:#0f172a;'>and<\/strong> end application; treat lb specs with the 2.708 conversion only after confirming basis size.<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin-bottom:8px;\">Require TAPPI-tested MD\/CD tensile and burst data, not just nominal weight.<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin-bottom:8px;\">Request FSC or recycled-content certificates for EPR documentation.<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin-bottom:8px;\">Pilot-run print fluids on the actual GSM before committing to a grade change.<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin-bottom:8px;\">Confirm machine-direction orientation for applications where tear initiation matters.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p style=\"margin:16px 0; line-height:1.8; color:#334155; font-size:1.02rem;\">Specifying kraft by application-matched GSM \u2014 verified with burst and tear data \u2014 eliminates the majority of field failures and keeps packaging within 2026 fee-modulation thresholds.<\/p>\n<div class=\"geo-faq-section\" style=\"margin-top:40px; padding-top:24px; border-top:2px solid #e2e8f0;\">\n<h2 style=\"color:#0f172a; font-size:1.45rem; margin-bottom:20px;\">Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)<\/h2>\n<div style=\"background:#f8fafc; border:1px solid #e2e8f0; border-radius:8px; padding:18px 20px; margin-bottom:14px;\">\n<h3 style=\"margin:0 0 8px 0; font-size:1.05rem; color:#0f172a; font-weight:700;\">How do I convert kraft paper lb basis weight to GSM?<\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin:0; color:#475569; font-size:0.95rem; line-height:1.65;\">For standard kraft basis (17 x 22 in, 500-sheet ream), multiply pounds by 2.708 to get GSM. Example: 40 lb kraft \u2248 108 GSM. Always confirm basis size first, since linerboard uses a different basis.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"background:#f8fafc; border:1px solid #e2e8f0; border-radius:8px; padding:18px 20px; margin-bottom:14px;\">\n<h3 style=\"margin:0 0 8px 0; font-size:1.05rem; color:#0f172a; font-weight:700;\">What GSM kraft paper should I use for wrapping vs. bags?<\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin:0; color:#475569; font-size:0.95rem; line-height:1.65;\">General wrapping performs reliably at 70\u201390 GSM; heavy-duty wrap and dunnage need 100\u2013140 GSM. Merchandise and multiwall bags typically require 100\u2013300 GSM depending on payload and handling stress.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"background:#f8fafc; border:1px solid #e2e8f0; border-radius:8px; padding:18px 20px; margin-bottom:14px;\">\n<h3 style=\"margin:0 0 8px 0; font-size:1.05rem; color:#0f172a; font-weight:700;\">Does higher GSM kraft paper cost more in EPR or PPWR fees?<\/h3>\n<p style=\"margin:0; color:#475569; font-size:0.95rem; line-height:1.65;\">Yes. EPR fee modulation is largely weight-based per tonne placed on market, so heavier kraft raises fees. Downgauging GSM where burst and tear performance still meet spec cuts both material and compliance costs.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tadapack-b2b-engineering-cta\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(135deg, #0f172a 0%, #1e293b 100%); border-radius:14px; padding:28px 32px; margin:44px 0 24px 0; color:#ffffff; box-shadow:0 10px 25px -5px rgba(15,23,42,0.25); border:1px solid #334155;\">\n<div style=\"display:flex; align-items:flex-start; justify-content:space-between; flex-wrap:wrap; gap:20px;\">\n<div style=\"max-width:640px;\">\n<div style=\"font-size:0.8rem; font-weight:700; color:#38bdf8; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:0.06em; margin-bottom:6px;\">\n        \u2699\ufe0f TadaPack Industrial Packaging Engineering\n      <\/div>\n<h3 style=\"color:#ffffff; margin:0 0 10px 0; font-size:1.35rem; font-weight:800; line-height:1.35;\">\n        Engineering Your Next High-Performance Packaging Batch<br \/>\n      <\/h3>\n<p style=\"color:#94a3b8; font-size:0.92rem; line-height:1.65; margin:0;\">\n        From precision CAD dielines to ISTA drop-testing and certified sustainable substrates, TadaPack helps global brands optimize freight cubic volume, minimize shipping breakage, and satisfy European PPWR \/ EPR packaging standards.\n      <\/p>\n<div style=\"display:flex; flex-wrap:wrap; gap:16px; margin-top:14px; font-size:0.82rem; color:#cbd5e1;\">\n        <span>\u2713 <strong>Free CAD Dielines (.AI \/ .DXF)<\/strong><\/span><br \/>\n        <span>\u2713 <strong>Drop-Test &#038; ECT Optimization<\/strong><\/span><br \/>\n        <span>\u2713 <strong>PPWR &#038; FSC Compliant<\/strong><\/span>\n      <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"display:flex; align-items:center; align-self:center;\">\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/tadapack.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"background:#0284c7; color:#ffffff; padding:12px 24px; border-radius:8px; font-weight:700; font-size:0.95rem; text-decoration:none; display:inline-block; transition:all 0.2s; box-shadow:0 4px 12px rgba(2,132,199,0.35);\"><br \/>\n        Request Engineering Sample &rarr;<br \/>\n      <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@graph\": [\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Article\",\n      \"@id\": \"https:\/\/tadapack.com\/news\/kraft-paper-weight-chart\/#article\",\n      \"headline\": \"Kraft Paper Weight Chart: GSM to LB Basis Weight Guide\",\n      \"description\": \"Complete kraft paper weight chart converting GSM, lb basis weight, and caliper for bags, wrap, and packaging. 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B2B engineering specs for buyers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[20,489,410],"class_list":["post-1130","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-materials-and-processes","tag-fsc-certified","tag-gsm-conversion","tag-kraft-paper"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tadapack.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1130","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tadapack.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tadapack.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tadapack.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tadapack.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1130"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tadapack.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1130\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tadapack.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1130"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tadapack.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1130"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tadapack.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1130"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}